Previously, he had scalped 14 wickets in three Test matches against the West Indies.
The highly anticipated Ashes 2025 2nd Test will kick off at the Gabba on December 4. But alongside captain Pat Cummins, Australia will continue missing another key figure, Josh Hazlewood, in their playing XI for the second fixture of the series.
Find out why Pat Cummins was excluded from Ashes 2025 2nd Test
The hosts, who have dominated England in the last three editions of the prestigious tournament on their home soil, have been forced to enter the initial fixtures without some of their frontline pacers. Notably, skipper Cummins was expected to return for the match, but unfortunately, he is yet to recover from the lumbar stress injury.
Amidst this, Australia’s another prime seamer, Josh Hazlewood, has also been ruled out of the Ashes 2025 2nd Test after missing out on the series-opener. The 34-year-old had sustained a hamstring injury while participating in the Sheffield Shield 2025 fixture between New South Wales and Victoria as preparation for the ongoing high-magnitude clashes. Previously, he had scalped 14 wickets in three Test matches against the West Indies.
Besides Hazlewood, another Australian paceman, Sean Abbott, has also suffered an injury in the same Sheffield Shield fixture that has sidelined him from the fixtures so far. Despite the series of injury setbacks, the hosts’ pace stalwart Mitchell Starc had single-handedly outclassed Ben Stokes and Co. in the 1st match in Perth.
Steve Smith (C), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, and Beau Webster.
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Starc’s electrifying 10-wicket haul had thrashed the visitors’ batting line-up before Travis Head’s whirlwind ton to claim a dominating win. But the visitors would be hoping to mount pressure on the Australian side in Brisbane, which has been struck by some major injury setbacks. The English squad, which is yet to register a win in a Test down under since 2010-11, would be eyeing to level the series.
However, Cummins is expected to join the hosts’ squad ahead of the third match in Adelaide, while the Baggy Greens’ head coach Andrew McDonald is hopeful for Hazlewood’s return at some point in the series. Their inclusion in the side would strengthen Australia’s fiery pace attack for the remaining fixtures of the marquee red-ball series. Previously, they had whitewashed the visitors with a scoreline of 4-0, 4-0 and 5-0, respectively, in the latest three Ashes at home.
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